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Balance of Nature: Sculptures by Garland Weeks

July 28 to September 30, 2007

Sculpture Process

Creating the Clay Form

The process of creating a sculpture starts with ideas. Usually, an artist makes a small maquette to establish his or her ideas into a physical form after researching and developing details that convey relevancy and authenticity to the sculpture. After deciding what scale to use, the sculptor starts building the armature, a structural framework formed out of steel pipe, pvc pipe and wood. Foam fills in areas of large mass, which is suitably trimmed. To start, the artist judiciously applies oil-based clay onto the form. In figure sculpting, Garland Weeks usually begins forming the head. He states that the proportions of the head loosely determine the proportion of the rest of the figure. Working with the oil clay is the longest part of the sculpting process: to add details, adjust proportions, shape the overall surface texture. According to Weeks, an artist needs to "be aware of modeling the [sculpture's] surface with the proper texture." A critical step in the creation process, at the point near completion, is to step away from the sculpture for a while to let the eyes and mind rest. After a few days, the artist is able to look at the sculpture with "fresh eyes" and be able to detect what might need to be modified. Once the artist or customer is satisfied with the sculpture, the mold-making process can begin.

An armature for "WWII Infantry Memorial" establishes the basic form of the sculpture.

The bodily form of "General Francis Marion" establishes how the clothes will lay.

Weeks has nearly completed the clay form for "WWII Infantry Memorial."

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